Telephone directory or the like



June 3 1924. 1,496,515 v l. BEcKl-:TT

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY OR THE LIKE l .Filed June 22 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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June 3 1924.

l. BECKETT TELEPHONE DIRECTORY OR THE LIKE Filed June 22, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3 1924. 1,496,515

l. BECKETT l TELEPHONE DIRECTORY OR THE LIKE Filed June 22 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 liatented June 3, 1924.

lPMI-:ur omer..

IVAN- BECKETT, OF NEW YORK, Y.

TELEPHONE DIREcToRY on THE nimm Application led J'une 1920. Serial No. 390,94@

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, lvAN -BECKET'L a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in a Telephone Directory or the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

.This invention relates to apparatus for storing, displaying and rendering readily available recorded data, and particularly, although not exclusively, to mechanical directories adapted to exhibit-the names .of various parties and their telephone numbers. The invention has for its object the provision of a compact device of attractive appearance comprising a data carrying member, preferably in theform of a flexible strip upon which the desired data may be recorded, which strip may be of considerable length so as to' be capable of receiving a large number of items, and means for storing and manipulating said strip so as to-eX hibitor display any desired portion thereof, said apparatus being of such acharacter that any desired portion of said strip may be rendered quickly available, and having provision-whereby the presentation of the desired portion of the st-rip in exhibiting position is facilitated and the desired data readily recognized when brought into posiwill be understood, however, that the particular construction described and, shown has been chosen for illustrative purposesv merely, and that the invention,.as defined by the claims hereunto....appended', may be otherwise practiced without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawingsz- Fig 1 is a plan view of the complete device.. Y

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the top of the casing removed.

. Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal vertical ectioQns on lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively,

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Fig. 5 is atransverse'vertical section taken substantially on the line 55, Fig. 4.

Fior. `6 is a detail sectional view of one of the eed roller clutch devices, taken substantially on the line 6 6, Fig. '2.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the record or data carrying strip.

rlhe mechanism ofthe apparatus is enclosed in ajsuitablev casing comprising side members 10 and 11, back and frontlmembers 12 and 13, and a top or face plate 14. The body of the casing formed by said side and end members may, if desired, be formed as a singleintegral part by die casting or other'- wise, but as herein shown said members comprise separate plates suitably connected,

as by screws 15, (-Fig. 3). rl'he casing may,

if desired, be provided with a suitable base (not shown), but preferably, and as herein illustrated, the bottom of said casing is left open to facilitate the inspection of the mechanism therein. The face or top plate 14 is preferably det-achably secured to the body of the casing, as by removable screws 16, and is providedwith a sight opening 17 through which the record st rip hereinafter' described may be observed. The rear ortions of the upper edges of the side mem ers 10. and 11 are preferably horizontally dis! posed, while the forward portions thereof are forwardly and downwardly inclined, the face or top plate '14 being correspondingly shaped to provide a rear or upper horizontal vport-ion 170 and a forward inclined portion 18 in which the sight opening 17 is formed.

Journalled' in one of the side members of the casing, herein the member 10, is a short shaft 19 provided at the exterior of the casingl with a suitable operating meml ber, herein shown as a knurled knob 20 detachably secured to' said shaft, as 'by a `set screw 21. Secured to the shaft 19 within' a. relatively small pinion 23 rotatably the. casing is a gear 22 which meshes with jecting inwardly from the side member 10. Suitably secured to the pinion 23, for rotation therewith, is a relativel large gear 25 which meshes with relative y small pinions 26 disposed concentric with, and operatively connectcd (by means hereinafter more fully described) to upper and lower feed rollers 27 having trunnions 28 rotatably journalled in sockets 29 carried by the side members 10 and 11 of the casing, said pinions 26 constituting actuators for saidrollers.

lt will be seen that the construction above described provides an exceedingly simple speed-accelerating mechanism `for operatively connecting the knob 20 with the rollers 27, whereby rotation of said knob in either direction will result in rotation of said rollers in the same ydirection and at a greatly increased speed. In the construction shown, this mechanism can be easily assembled and as readily disassembled, for purposes ofv repair or otherwise, by removing the side plate 10, and with it the sockets 29 carried thereby, the shaft 19, stud 24:, gears 22 and 25, and pinion 23, thereby permitting the ready removal of the trun-` nions of the feed rollers from the oppositesockets 29 carried by the plate 11.

Secured .at its ends to the feed rollers 27, and wound upon said rollers, is the data carrying or record strip 31, operation ot' said rollers in one direction or the other causing a corresponding feed or travel of said strip between the top or face plate 14 and a backing plate 32. For the purpose of detachably securing the ends of the strip 31 to the rollers 27 there are herein shown (see Fig. 4) clamping strips 30'secured in recesses in said rollers by screws 60. The strip 31 ispreferably composed of linen or other textile material having `a suitably prepared surface upon which the desired -data may be written. The backing plate 32 is located directly beneath the sight' opening 17, and is preferably detachably supported in this position, asby means of proJections 33 formed on the ends of said plate and received in suitably disposed sockets 34 formed in the upper edges ot' the side members 10 and 11, said projections being retained in said sockets by the face or top lute 14 when the latter is in position. en the removable top plate 14 is taken ofthe detachably mountedbacking plate may also be'removed, thus ai'ording convenient access to the mechanism within the casing. A

In order that, notwithstanding the continuous engagement of both pinions 26 with thegear 25. the feeding of the strip 31 by the rollers 27 may take place smoothly, irrespective of the quantity of the strip wound on the respective rollers and the consequent eEective diameter of said rollers,

sesame means are 'rovided whereby-only that roller upon Whic the strip is being Wound will be operatively connected with its inion 26, the other roller being permitte to turn idly with respect to its pinion as the strip is withdrawn therefrom. As herein shown, said means comprise one-way clutches for operatively connecting each of the rollers with its actuatin pinion, said clutches being so disposed xat when a pinion is rotated in a direction to cause its roller to wind up the strip, said pinion will be operatively connected lwith said roller to rotate the same, but when said pinion is rotated in the opposite direction it will be operatively disconnected from its roller, permitting said roller to be turned independently by the withdrawn stri at a greater or less speed than that of t e pinion, according to the circumstances. To the foregoin ends, in the construction shown, each of t e pinions 26 is fast upon a sleeve 35 (see Figs. 3 and 6) rotatabl mounted on the adjacent trunnion 28 ofy the corresponding feed roller, said sleeve having also fast thereon a disk 36 and, at the opposite side of said disk from said pinion, a hub 37, which hubv is loosely received in a c lindrical recess 38 in the adjacent end of t e feed roller. The hub 37 is formed with inclined notches 39 to receive rolls 40 which are retained in the recess 38 by the disk 36, and which are adapted, when the hub 37 is turned in one direction, to engage the wall of the recess 38 and thereby connect the hub and roller for rotation in unison, and when said hub is turned in the opposite direction to be forced back into said notches 39,l thereby operatively disconnectin said parts. The notches 39 in the two hu s 37 are oppositely inclined, so that when the gear 25 is turned in one direction or the other one or the other only of the feed rollers will be positively actuated, to the ends above stated.

In addition to` compensating for varia.y

tions in the amount of strip wound on the respective rollers, as above explained, the one way clutches serve also to facilitate the rapid movement ofthe strip, since they permit the overrunning of the rollers, by momentum, after the movement of the gear 25 has been arrested, so that by giving the knob 2O a sharp, quick turn or twist the strip may becaused to travel a distance con- V siderably greater than that directly corresponding. to the amount of movement of the knob, such travel of the strip, however, be-

ing checked or arrestedat any time by a slight movement of the knob in the opposite direction.

An'important feature of the present invention residesin the arrangement of the strip 31 and the dispositionof the inscriptions thereon. Referring to Fig. 7, it wlll be seen that said stripis divided by transverse lines 41 into a longitudinally disposed series of spaces 42, each adapted to receive certain data. lf, as irrthe articular embodiment of the invention s own, the device is to be used as a telephone directory or index, each ofthe spaces 42 is preferably subdivided by a transverse line 43 in order to accommodate a name and a corresponding telephone number, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Separated from the spaces 42 by a longitudinal line 44, is a marginal portion 45 in which are disposed, opposite the several spaces 42, a series of large and prominent index characters 46 of amature to identify the data inscribed in the said spaces. Thus, i-nxthe construction shown, the charactors 46 Vcomprise letters of the alphabet corresponding to the initials of the names inscribed in the adjacent spaces, the same letter appearing, in most instances, a plurality of times opposite successive spaces, and the several letters or groups of letters being alphabetically arranged longitudinally of the strip.

`By the u se of the large and prominent index characters 46, the portion of the strip i, character are 31y appearingat any time beneath the sight opening 1 7 may be readily recognized, al-

though the strip may be travelling at a relatively high rate of speed. The essential requirements of a practical device of this (1) that it be capable of containing a conslderable number of names,

1 referred'to, is described and to the fact that*A the hubportions of the metal winding roll-f,i

and (2) that any one of said names maybe found with a minimum loss of time. It has been found in practice that, by means of the mechanism above described, 'a single' turn or twist of the operating knob 2O may be caused to produce Ya longitudinal travel of the strip of six' feet or more, thus per'- mitting the use of a relatively long strip and thereby providing a large space `for names, while at the same time making it'possible to bring any portion of the strip, and consequently any name,'beneath the sight opening with a minimum expenditure ot time and eort. As the prominent indexcharacters lare each repeated a number of times so as to form groups each consisting of a plurality of similar index lcharacters or letters the data carrying or index strip or web 31 is necessarily a long one. requiring` along travel ofsaid strip to bring widely separated groups into visibleposition beneath the sight opening 17 inthe top' plate 14. The long travel of the long data-carrying or index strip or web 31, from a single turn or twist of due to the accelerating gearing hereinbefore ers 2,7 are thick and heavy, as clearly shownl in the drawings, as also to the fact that the metal knob 20 is also thick and heavy and thus acts, in a measure, as a balance the operating knob'QlO, just,

wheel or inertia wheel, Thus theseheavyv metal parts, together with the somewhat heavy metal gearwheels, all provide inertia L means so that the larger part of the long rapid travel of the strip'l, from a single turn or twist of said knob, is due to momentum, as will be understood. lt will be noted that in the groups of prominent index char- 'acters at one margin of the-data-carrying strip 31, and which index characters appear successively a plurality of times in each group, the said prominent index characters vare arranged in close proximity to each other lengthwise of the said strip. rlhis is important for the reason that 'this close arrangement of these prominent index charsary the provision of some means for readily identifying the portion desired. When the strip is travelling relatively slowly, but still too rapidly to permit rea ing the individual names or other data, the prominent index characters '46 will enable the operator to identify the approximate portion of the strip desired.' In order, however, to make possible suchv identification and the stoppage of the strip at any predetermined point when said strip is travelling at the higher speeds at which the mechanism above described is capable of driving it, and which speeds render lllegible even the relatively large index characters 46, means for indicating what index characters( or letters are passing the sight opening are employed, such means, in the construction herein shown, consisting of the following mechanism.

Located adjacent the rear of the casing, and removably journalled at its ends' in sockets 47 '(Fig. 5) in the side members 10 and 11, is a feed screw 48 disposed with its axis parallel to the'axes of the feed rollers 27, and operatively connected withrthe u per feed roller by gears 49. Mounted: on t e feed screw 48 'is'the threaded hub of aslide 50 (see Figs. 3 and 4) to which is secured an upwardly extendin yarm 51 projecting through a 'transverse s ot 52 in the horizon- -tal portion 170 of the face plate 14, the upper end of said arm being formed with a pointer 53 cooperating with a scale 54 (Fig. 1) on the outer surface of said plate. Rotation of the slide 50 is prevented by engagement thereof with the rear casing member 1Q softhat, as the feed screw 48 is rotated through the gearing 49 by a corresponding 17 the repetition of the index charv rotation of the feed roll, thepointer 53 will be caused to traverse the scale 54. The said scale 54 is disposed transversely to the index strip 31 and is composed of index characters corresponding in 'nature and arrangement with the index characters 46 oii the strip 51., the construction being such that when the pointer 53 is opposite any iiidex character on the scale 54, a corresponding index character 46 on the strip 3-1 will be in position 'beneath the sight opening 17.

v It will, of course, be understood that the pitch-ot thefeed screw 48 must bear such a .relationship to the length of the strip 31 that the slide 50 will completely traverse the length of the screw, and the pointer 53 completely traverse the scale 54, during the` passage of the inscribediportioii ofsaid strip from one end t0 the otheigbeneath the sight. opening 17. By reason ot the removable mounting of said feed screw in its bearing sockets 47, it' will be seen that said feed screw may be readily removed and replaced -by a feed screw of different pitch, so that ters or initial letters 46. When it is desired to find a given name, the knob 20 is g turned in one direction or the other, depending upon the relative position of said name on the strip with respect to the portion of the strip at that time beneath the sight opening 17. By proper manipulation of the knob 20 the strip 31 may be caused to travel very rapidly, as abo-ve explained-andthe operator, by watching the desired letter on the scale 54, and the approach of theY pointer 53 thereto, may determine when the desired portion of the strip is approachingthe sightv opening, whereu on the travel of the istrip may be checked in order to permit clear observation first of the assing index characters 46 and then-of t e individual names, thereby permitting the strip to be readily sto ped at the proper place.

aving thus described my invention I claim and desire to ,secure by Letters Patent 1. A mechanical directory comprising, in

combination, a casing having side members and a detachable top plate provided with .a sight opening, a. backing plate disposed i beneath said sight Iopeningysaid side memneeeie y bers being provided at their upper edges i plate, and means for feeding said strip past.

said sight opening.

3. A` mechanical directory comprising, in combination. a casing having a sight'open- `ing, an operating member accessible from the exterior of said casing, a long datacarrying strip, and means operated by said operating member and including speed accelerating mechanism and inertia means for causing said strip to travel rapidly'and for a long distance past said sight opening, said data-carrying strip beingprovided at one margin with groups of prominent index characters visible through said sight opening as said strip travels by said opening, each character or letter appearing success'ively a plurality of times in each group to afford room on said strip for a plurality of names `commencing with the same initial..

4. A mechanical directory com rising, 11n combination, a casing having a sight 0 ening, an operating member accessible rom the exterior of said casing, a data-carrying strip within said casing, means operated by said operating member and including speed accelerating mechanism and inertia means for causing said data-carrying strip to travelrapidly and for a. long distance past said'sight opening, said data-carrying strip being provided, at one margin. with groups of prominent index characters visible through said sight opening as said strip travels past said opening, each'of said characters appearing successively a plurality of times in each roup, a scale disposed transversely of sai strip and consisting of index characters similar to those on said datacarrying strip, and means, controlled by said moving means, for indicating the position of said data-carrying strip by said scale. e

5. A' mechanical directory comprising, in

combination, a casing having a sight o ening, an operating member accessible om the exterior of said casing, a lon data-carrying strip, and means operated y said op`- erating member and including speed acceleratin causing said strip to travel rapidly and for .a longdistancet past said sight-opening, said mechanism and inertia Vmeans for .lao

' data-carrying strip being provided' at oneeach group, to aio'rd roon'igon said stri for margin with groups of prominent index a plurality of names commencing wit the characters visi le through said sight opensame initial,` and to render it convenient v:for 10 ing as said strip travels by `said opening, the user to arrest the travel of said'strip at Veach character or letter appearing succesn the proper point.

sively a plurality louf times, in close proximi- In testimony whereof Iaixmy signature. ty' to each other, lengthwise of the strip,

IVAN A BECKETT. 

